Rocking compartment file cabinet



Feb. 24, 1959 A. L. HIGBERG ROCKING COMPARTMENT FILE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 195'? INVENTOR. ARTHUR L HIGBE/PG ms grromvzr Feb. 24, 1959 A. L. HIGBERG ROCKING COMPARTMENT FILE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1957 I INVENTOR.

ARTHUR L. HIGBERG HI$ ATTORNEY United States Patent I 2,875,015 ROCKING COMPARTMENT FILE CABINET Arthur L. High er Spencerport, N. Y., assignor to Yawman and Erbe Manufacturing Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 15, 1951, Serial No. 659,381 3 Claims. cl. 312-325 a simple linkage supporting means that can be econbmically manufactured, and which lends itself to easy assembling and quick removal of the compartment from the linkage mechanism when repair or replacement of the parts becomes necessary.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a linkage 7 for supporting the compartment in such a manner that When In its open or operative position, the major portion and weight of the compartment and centre of gravity is inside the front wall of the housing so that the cabinet 1s always stable, in perfect balance, and safely protected against tipping or falling, even though all the compartments in a unit are open.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a cabinet in which the compartments can easily be operated from closed to open position, and files or papers can readily beinserted into or removed from the compartments.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts that will appear clearly from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the novel features being pointed out in the claims following the specification. I

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a two compartment file cabinet incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated, and showing the upper compartment closed and the lower compartment open;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the lower compartment, when in open position, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which:

like reference numerals refer to the same parts through,

out the several views, 1 designates the metal housing or body of the cabinet, while 2 are the metal rocking corn partments, the upper of which is shown in closed position in Fig. 2, while the lower compartment is shown in open or operative position.

In a rocker type file cabinet, it is important that the compartments be controlled by linkage mechanisms of such construction that the compartment is readily accessible and removable to repair or replace the linkages, while the compartment when open projects a minimum distance in front of the housing, so as to maintain sta bility and balance for the cabinet at all times, and the 2,875,015 Patented Feb. 24, 1959 linkage mechanisms by which these results are accomplished will now be described.

Since the linkage mechanism at both sides of the (20111- partments are the same, it will be necessary to describe only one. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the outer surface of the side wall of the compartment is provided with a metal bracket 3, in the form of a metal angle plate welded or rigidly attached to the wall of the compartment, while 4 is a metal supporting plate detachably secured to the bracket 3 by screws 5 or other suitable fastening devices.

Pivotally attached to the supporting plate 4 is a metal link 6, the upper end of which is pivoted at 7 to the supporting plate 4 while its lower end is pivoted at 8 to the adjacent wall of the housing 1, and 9 designates a metal link pivoted at 11 to the supporting plate 4 and at its opposite end to the wall of the housing at 12. 13 designates a stiffening bar secured to the outer surface of the metal liner 14 of the housing and affording anchorage for the pivots of the links 6 and 9.

The link 9 is less than half the length of link 6, and when the compartment is swung to open position, link 6 moves through an angle of less than whereas link 9 moves through an angle greater than 90, assuring the position shown in Fig. 2 of the lower compartment. This linkage permits the compartment to move to open position while projecting a minimum distance, and less than half its depth, beyond the front of the cabinet.

In order to maintain the compartment in open position against accidental movement, the link 6 is provided with an opening 15 that is engaged by an enlargement or projection 16 on link 9 when the parts are folded. Projection 16 springs into opening 15, and to return the compartment to its inner position in the housing, a slight upward pull is sufficient to overcome the spring engagement between links 6 and 9.

While the invention has been described with reference to the structure shown, it is not restricted to the details set forth, and this application is intended to cover such modifications or departures as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a file cabinet including a rocking compartment and a housing, the improvement that consists in brackets fixed to the outer surfaces of the sides of the compartment, supporting plates to which the brackets are detachably secured and accessible from the front of the cabinet to permit removing the compartment, removable means securing said brackets to said supporting plates, links pivoted at their lower ends to the housing at the front thereof and at their ulpper ends to said supporting plates, and second links piyoted at one end to the supporting plates and at their opposite ends to the housing at points above the lower pivotal points of the first mentioned links, the first mentioned links moving through an angle of approximately 45. when the compartment is moved from closed to open position and said second links moving through an angle greater than 90" when the compartment is moved from closed to open position.

2. In a file cabinet including a rocking compartment and a housing, the improvement that consists in brackets fixed to the outer surfaces of the sides of the compartment, supporting plates to which said brackets are detachably secured and accessible from the front of the cabinet to permit removing the compartment, removable means securing said brackets to the supporting plates, links pivoted at their lower ends to the housing at the front thereof and at their upper ends to said supporting plates, and second links pivoted at one end to said supporting plates and at their opposite ends to the housing at points above and in approximate vertical alinement 3, with the lower pivotal points of the first mentioned links, said second links having a length less than the length of the first mentioned links and moving through an angle greater than the angle of movement of the first mentioned links when the compartment is moved from closed to open position.

3. In a file cabinet including a rocking compartment and a housing, the improvement that consists in brackets fixed to the outer surfaces of the sides of the compartment, supporting plates detachably secured to said brackets and accessible from the front of the cabinet to permit removing the compartment, removable means securing said brackets to said supporting plates, links pivoted at their lower ends to the housing at the front thereof and at their upper ends to said supporting plates,

and second links pivoted at one end'of the housing at points above and in approximate vertical alinement with the lower pivotal points of the first mentioned links and at their opposite ends to said supporting plates, said second links moving through an angle greater than the angle of movement of the first mentioned links when the compartment is moved from closed to open position.

Salsman et al. May 6, 1947 Gladsen et al. Dec. 18, 1956 

